The Minot Air Force Base UFO Incident

On October 24, 1968, a B-52 bomber crew from Minot Air Force Base encountered a massive UFO that was tracked on radar, observed visually by ground and air witnesses, and reportedly affected the aircraft’s systems. The case is one of the most well-documented military encounters.

The Encounter

During a routine training mission, the B-52 crew detected an unknown object on radar. At the same time, ground maintenance teams reported seeing a large, lighted object near a nuclear missile site. The object was tracked ascending to meet the aircraft.

The Object

Witnesses described an enormous object, estimated at 200 feet in diameter. It displayed bright lights and made no sound. The B-52’s UHF radio failed while near the object. The crew observed the object visually at close range.

The Investigation

Project Blue Book investigated and initially attributed the sighting to plasma or ball lightning. This explanation was widely criticized as inadequate given the radar confirmation, multiple witnesses, and the object’s size and behavior.

The Documents

The case file contains extensive documentation including radar plots, crew debriefings, and ground witness statements. The consistency between independent observers makes conventional explanations difficult.

Assessment

The Minot AFB case combines radar confirmation, ground witnesses, and trained air crew observation. The proximity to nuclear weapons follows a pattern seen in other military UFO encounters. Whatever approached the B-52 that night remains officially unexplained.